Driving the Healey by Caton: What's It REALLY Like?

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The team responsible for the Healey by Caton lent me their car for a few hours to see what it's all about.
Enjoy,
Sam
Show Notes:
00:00 = Walkaround
03:19 = Drive
13:20 = Conclusion

[@paulmcaleer2736]

Hi Sam - liked the little mention of my Boxster (and its hardtop) and my apologies for driving into shot when you stopped. It was very nice to meet you so randomly on the day!

[@nathanb2100]

It's great seeing classics like this Austin given a new lease of life with some modern touches 😃

[@rickden8362]

For Half-a-Million dollars.😳😲 I want to see the list people(1or2) who pay that.

[@colinhutcheson1365]

If you think that is small and nimble try an Elan DHC Sprint loads of smiles per gallon

[@gailmrutland6508]

*At $525,000 a copy, I think driving it would make me look like a fool.*

[@mile1920]

first hand experience,former owner,this is a fabulous fun car to drive

[@paulwells3110]

For 400k I' would expect seatbelts and lights that don't mist up🤣🤣🤣 you could have a fleet of classic cars for that price 👍

[@markcollins457]

100% This is the way to revive survive and bring a Healey back on the roads.

[@rickden8362]

Not for $500,000. For 1/5 that u can get turn key Cobra replica.

[@gothychris]

Having recently bought an mx5, the last hot week of the year 😂... Couldn't agree more, the roadster experience is just great, top down, rear wheel drive, just fun!

[@kenster865]

I, too, have an MX-5 (2020 100th Anniversary Edition) and they are so well tailored and with 180+ HP, what is there not to love? Totally reliable with regular maintenance. I'd love a refurbished Brit car but... is that a wise move? Their quality is always questionable due LARGELY to the damn Lucas electronics. Enough said...

[@wadesaleeby2172]

Like a little boy with his Christmas toy.... 🤩

[@jeffleake1960]

A car with no roof just perfect for an English summer !

[@MrGsteele]

I had a BN2, as well as a BN1 I'd put a Corvette Fuel Injected 327 engine and 4 speed in, and have remained perplexed all these years about one aspect of the two cars. Despite the Massive difference in engine displacement and power to weight ratio, they each got the same fuel mileage. I kept scrupulous records in those days - bred in me by driving Volkswagen bugs, which had no gas gauge - so every car I owned had a pad and pen with which I recorded every fillup and mileage. Remarkably, the Chevy-Healey consistently got 20 miles per gallon - albeit on high test, necessitated by the high compression ratio of the Corvette engine: Amoco white exclusively. Of course, cruising in the V8 car, the engine had almost no work to do, so you were hardly cracking the throttle - and the Rochester Fuel Injection system was pretty efficient; but for the mileage to be the same as for the 4-banger Austin engine was a surprise. I thought it might have had to do with my love of rowing through the gears of the BN2 and listening to that classic 4 cylinder's growl, which I did, blipping the throttle and all, at every opportunity. But I did open up the V8 on (not) rare occasion, so you'd think 5 liters of V8 displacement would do a good job of draining the tank quickly. But no, over the years I had both, they were consistently within a few tenths of an MPG of each other. Of course, the Chevy-Healey was insanely, blindingly fast - 350-odd V8 horsepower pushing 1,800 lbs of car wakes you up faster than an Espresso transfusion. But it made you enjoy going to work just for the commute.

[@rafaelsibajazepeda1219]

Beautiful car.

[@DarkDeath-yg7nv]

gotcha self an mx5, save money over a boxter, and enjoy yourself you absolutely do not need any more

[@sammooresphoto]

there is a lot in this

[@fraserwright9482]

How did this compare to a Morgan in terms of smiles per mile? Both open top British 50s sports cars to mouch around b roads or down to the village type of car?

[@sammooresphoto]

Good question, I think I’d prefer a plus 4. A bit safer and a roof

[@HMoyn215]

I was expecting 100 -120k, but 400k You could have some nice classics for that money eg DB6 and a Xk150 or S1 E-type 4.2

[@sammooresphoto]

You are not wrong

[@zzhughesd]

I was dreaming at 80k. Somewhat away. I too thought likely over 100k but….

[@mayflowerfilm1980]

Me too.

[@rickden8362]

If a real owner ever shows up on Jay Leno's Garage you'll know someone is really(admitting) spending that much.

[@iandavidson99]

Yup, she's a beaut!

[@jeremyparsons5379]

Beautiful…

[@rickden8362]

I'll believe their actually selling when a real owner shows up on Jay Leno's Garage.

[@RRRVanquish1998]

From Coventry

[@edmundhayes1840]

Lighter and smaller is the way to go! A comparison against one that has modified as an EV would be pretty interesting

[@sammooresphoto]

That would be interesting. Sadly I suspect all the aspects that made this fun for me would be lost but I’m open to the experience

[@edmundhayes1840]

@@sammooresphoto Probably. Open top is fun but you do need some noise

[@sammooresphoto]

@@edmundhayes1840 100% and a gear change

[@richardsmith9509]

Sam, You don't need to say "and what not" so many times.. What does that silly expression actually mean ?????

[@sammooresphoto]

I shall make a mental note on this one 👍🏻

[@adamap2796]

The steering wheel is upside down.

[@GuitarDan73]

400k though? I was expecting at least 300k less lol....

[@ChrisSaddlerSam]

3:43 NO SEAT BELT?!?

[@sammooresphoto]

Yep, it has no seat belts

[@ChrisSaddlerSam]

@@sammooresphoto ooooops

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Sadly from 2030 on all combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Now they want to slow down all the gas station fuel pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.

[@adamap2796]

400K 😂😂😂😂

[@aluk4805]

Ridiculous car. Convert a 100 into a 100S for much less money than that and to get a better car

[@chuckmorris7553]

Ludicrous amount of money.................

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Another butchered car deserving of much more.

[@jayrusty2012]

So why exactly it doesnt have seat belts ??

[@sammooresphoto]

It's from the 50s, so didn't have them. I guess it's then up to the buyer if they want some.